Power Rankings of the Divisions

We here at CJ Sports, based on off-season moves, draft picks, and preseason performances, have created a division power rankings.  Breaking down the divisions and letting you know who is the best and worst division.  We will begin with the worst division and count our way down to the best division.  So let’s get this thing started!!!

8. NFC West Division – this would be our worst ranked division.  Not much has changed in this division from last year.  It looked like this division was going to make some changes for the good.  Instead,  this division looks like all four teams are in the race to try to win the number one draft pick.  It looks like Andrew Luck will be the greatest prize out of college in many years and that some teams are intentionally tanking to get this prize.  Seattle Seahawks get rid of Hasselback and pick up Tarvaris Jackson.  San Fransisco 49ers decided to re-sign Alex Smith, here is a free piece of advice, he sucks.  The St. Louis Rams seem to be happy where they are, so they really didn’t make any big moves.  Arizona Cardinals, the team that will win the division this year, will do so while barely breaking .500.  I have them at best going 9-7, it is a shame that it is mandatory that every division has to send a team in the playoffs, because for a second straight year, they wont deserve it.  Arizona will be the only team from this division that makes the playoffs.

7. AFC South Division – this division slid in just slightly above the worst division.  With the uncertainty of Peyton Manning the Colts and the division have taken a big hit.  Jacksonville will fall to the bottom of the division winning at most four games all year.  Tennessee made great strides to turn their team around.  The addition of Matt Hasselback is not enough to win the division.  With Chris Johnson demanding more money then he is worth, his stats continuing to diminish, and he once again will not be the best back out of this division.  Which this brings me to the Houston Texans.  Yes they will win the division, so yes, they finally are in the playoffs this year.  They really worked hard on getting the missing pieces.  Houston will be the only team from this division that makes the playoffs.

6. AFC West Division – there was a lot of movement in this division, but sadly it was more bad then good.  This division is really similar to the NFC West, in that all these teams are pretty evenly matched.  This division will have an above .500 record for the division winner , but it will be pretty much the extent of it.  With the daily distractions at the QB position, Denver is going to suffer the most.  I agree that Tebow might need a few more years of developing, but Kyle Orton is not the solution.  If anything start Brady Quinn, he is very talented, plus you idiots gave up Peyton Hillis for him, so start him and get something out of the deal.  Then there is the Oakland Raiders.  They finally looked like things were turning around last year for them, then this year rolled in.  They lost one of the best defenders in the off season ( Asomugha).  Then if that was not bad enough, the Raiders decided to waste a draft pick on Terell Pryor.  Kansas City Chiefs did pretty good last year and I feel they will repeat that with another .500 performance.  This brings me to this years division champions, San Diego Chargers.  They to kind of stayed off the radar during free agent signing, but they were pretty set already.  They shot themselves in the foot last year and will get it down this year.  They will finish at 9-7 at best, but will take the division while doing so.  The San Diego Chargers will be the only team from this division to make the playoffs.

5. AFC North Division – with this being one of the toughest divisions year after year, they are still just a two team division.  The Cincinnati Bengals are getting worse every year.  It is like Mike Brown is intentionally trying to make them the worst team in the NFL.  They forced Carson Palmer to retire, instead of trading him and getting something for him.  They sign the players that stay in trouble that nobody else wants.  Then there is one of the greatest football franchises, the Cleveland Browns.  They didn’t make too many moves this off season, which has made some of the fans pissed off.  I think they just need to be patient, Mike Holgrem has turned two other organizations around and he will do the same for the Browns.  This will be their best season in about four or five years, but not sure it will be good enough to break .500.  The Ravens made a bunch of moves this off season, some good and some not so much.  I still believe when it is said and done, Baltimore will fall about one game short of taking this division.  The Steelers were another team that stayed under the radar.  They focused more on their in house problems, seemed like everybody was getting in trouble with the law or saying stupid things to give the team a bad image.  This team is and has been one of the best, so there wasn’t to much that was needed to be done.  The Steelers will once again win this division with a 13-3 record.  The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will make the playoffs from this division.

4. AFC East Division – I am willing to bet that most thought this division would be higher in the power rankings.  This is not just a one or two team ranking, it is on the whole division.  With that said, this division is only fourth on the list.  With only two teams that will break the .500 mark, the two that won’t, well plain and simply, they suck.  Let’s start with the Buffalo Bills, who is starting Fitzpatrick as their QB this year.  Never has really done much and is possibly just holding the spot for a certain player named Luck.  They got rid of one of their premier receivers and really didn’t seem to be to concerned to go get any one to help this team.  The Miami Dolphins might be in the race with the Bills to take the last place in this division.  Starting Chad Henne is a very bad mistake and a couple games into the season they will have to make a move.  They went and got Reggie Bush, a very talented player, but he is not a “every” down back and that is really what they needed.  Next up is the New York Jets, it is really a curse for them to be in this division.  They have a bunch of talent and seem to work hard every off season to improve on that.  The addition of Plaxico Burress, resigning of Holmes, and the addition of Derrick Mason were all great moves.  The only thing is, no matter how good they do in the off season, the Patriots do better. This is why once again the Jets will not win the division.  The Patriots made some great and some risky moves.  I think both will pay off very well for this team.  The addition of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth were just prime examples of how competitive these two teams are in this division.  The Patriots should have another one of those near perfect seasons.  The Patriots will take the division and will ride this momentum all the way in to the Super Bowl.  The New England Patriots and New York Jets make the playoffs from this division.

3. NFC South - this division is the first division to actually have three legitimate playoff contenders.  The unfortunate thing is that only two teams will get the privilege off making the playoffs.  Let’s start from the bottom and work our way to the top.  There isn’t much to say about the Carolina Panthers.  They wasted the #1 draft pick and now are having a QB controversy with the second and third best QB on this team.  Hey STUPIDS start Derek Anderson, he is better then Newton and Clausen combined.  The Panthers are the only reason this division is not number one.  There are two more divisions that have a better four.  Next is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it is ashame they once again will fall short of making the playoffs..  I see them going 10-6, which would win some of the other divisions ( AFC South, NFC West, and possibly the AFC West).  Here in the south though, there are still two more teams that will do better than them.  New Orlean Saints will take the wild card out of this division.  They made some great draft picks and acquired some good free agents, but as good as the Saints did, the Atlanta Falcons did it better.  When the Falcons drafted Julio Jones, they might have drafted the missing piece to a Super Bowl run.  Jones will help spread the defense for Roddy White and Matt Ryan.  Atlanta will once again take this division and will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Falcons and Saints make the playoffs from this division.

2. NFC North - this is the first division that has a legitimate four team race.  I am not to delusional to think any one is going to take down the Super Bowl Champs.  This division will see all four teams finish with a record of 6-10 or better.  In Minnesota, McNabb was brought in to help spread the defense and to get Adrian Peterson back into a rhythm.  McNabb also will be mentoring the young Christian Ponder.  They might finish last in the division, but they have turned this franchise around.  The Detriot Lions were looking to finish second until the preseason began, injuries have put a big damper in these plans.  This team has had the best off season over the last two years, they have out drafted and out signed every one in this division and possibly the whole league.  Once this team heals from injuries, they will run this division.  Off to the Chicago Bears, who will finish second and will not make the playoffs this year.  They have made great personnel decisions.  Signing Amobi Okoye and Chris Spencer. Their only weakness is the toughness of their QB.  Is he going to step up or take a seat on the side lines when things get tough this year.  Then there are the Champs.  With most of the team returning with the addition of some draft picks, they will be the division Champs.  As competitive as this division maybe, the Packers will be the only team from this division to make the playoffs.

1. NFC North – this will be the strongest division in the NFL in 2011.  This division will produce all 7-9 and better teams.  Their records would be better if they didn’t have to play each other so much.  Their out of division records should be amongst the best in the NFL.  Starting at the bottom, so of course we will start with the Washington Redskins.  They will be one of those sleeper teams.  They weeded out their unwanted baggage and have refocused on the future.  Once they decide on who their QB will be, they will unite and have a decent season.  Next is the New York Giants.  Eli Manning, you are not a top five QB, never have been and never will be.  Once he realizes this and uses his team to his strengths, the better the season will be for him and the Giants.  The team took care of what needed to be taken care of, once every one is healthy, they will win some games.  The Giants will be a 8-8 team, but what can you expect after last year.  The Dallas Cowboys have finally returned to a playoff caliber team.  The Cowboys made a few changes, but most importantly, Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan are now officially in charge.  They will have to turn a team around that Wade Phillips has been screwing over.  Finally we come to the self-proclaimed “Dream Team”.  Yes the Philadelphia Eagles will win the division.  They went and bought every player they could to help secure their chance at a Super Bowl run.  I see them deep into the playoffs, but from what I have seen so far, I don’t see them being champs.  The Eagles and Cowboys make the playoffs from this division.